Cooking container with strainer-basket

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for cooking foods such as pasta rice including a container which receives a liquid to be heated and a cooking strainer-basket partially submerged in the liquid for cooking within the container, the container and the basket configured to have cooperating selectively engaging support members for alternatively positioning of the basket in the liquid for cooking of the food and repositioning of the basket above the liquid to provide for straining of the food.

BACKGROUND

The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts.

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates in general to apparatus for cooking foodssuch as pasta and more particularly to a container having liquid to beheated and a cooking strainer-basket, the container and strainer-baskethaving cooperating support brackets, or flanges, for alternativepositioning of the strainer-basket within the container to provide forcooking of the food or for straining of the food.

2. Prior Art

Apparatus for cooking and/or straining of pasta and the like have becomecommonplace and a variety of such apparatus are known in the art,however, the prior art devices are either too complex or relativelyinefficient or uneconomical. A device of interest is shown in U.S. Pat.Des. 353,303 issued to Davis on 13 Dec. 1994 which relates to a combinedcooking utensil with lid and strainer. It is a feature of the presentinvention to provide new and improved cooking apparatus for cooking andfor straining of food that is more easy to use, more efficient, safer,and more economical than prior art devices. It is another feature of theinvention to provide cooking and straining apparatus that does notrequire removal of the cooking basket from the container for strainingof the food. Other objects of the invention will become apparent with areading of the specification taken with the drawings wherein there isshown and described the apparatus of the invention.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides apparatus for cooking foods such as pastaand includes a container which receives a liquid, such as water, to beheated and a cooking strainer-basket within the container which ispartially submerged in the liquid for cooking, the container and baskethaving cooperating selectively engaging flanges for alternativelypositioning of the basket in the water, oil, or other liquid, forcooking of the food and repositioning of the basket above the water,oil, or other liquid to provide for straining of the food.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the cooking apparatus in accordance withthe present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates in cross-sectional view the cooking strainer-basketof FIG. 1 submerged in water for cooking of food;

FIG. 3A illustrates one configuration of the engagement of the containerflanges with the flanges of the strainer-basket;

FIG. 3B illustrates another configuration of the engagement of thecontainer flanges with the flanges of the strainer-basket;

FIG. 4 illustrates the strainer-basket of FIG. 1 positioned above thecooking water with the strainer-basket and container support flangesengaged for straining of the food within the strainer-basket;

FIG. 5 is a top view showing the positioning of the support flanges ofstrainer-basket above the flanges of the container allowing for thestrainer-basket to be raised and supported at the food strainingposition within the container;

FIG. 6 illustrates the apparatus of the invention with the supportflanges of the strainer-basket and container in the open positionwherein the strainer-basket is fully inserted into the container andready for storage or cooking; and

FIG. 7 is a top view showing the disengagement, or open, positioning ofthe support flanges of the strainer-basket and the container allowingfor the strainer to be lowered into the container.

DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings in general, and particularly to FIG. 1,there is shown in exploded view, the cooking apparatus of the invention,generally designated 10. The cooking apparatus 10 includes a circularwater container 11, a circular cooking strainer-basket, generallydesignated 12, having a lower portion 12 a with a diameter less than theinside diameter of container 11 for fitting within container 11, and anupper circumferential portion 12 b with a diameter greater than theoutside diameter of container 11 and configured with a shoulder-likeprojection extending outwardly from the top of container 11 to restraininsertion of strainer-basket 12 into container 11, and a lid 13 forfitting over the upper portion 12 b of strainer-basket 12. Container 11includes two side handles 11 a (one shown), a continuous outwardlyextending top lip 11 b, and interior selectively positioned supportflanges 11 c. Flanges 11 c are selectively spaced intermittently aroundthe interior of the container 11, are generally planar, and extendgenerally perpendicularly inwardly from the interior wall of container11. Vertical flanges 12 g provide anti-rotational features forstrainer-basket 12. As indicated in dotted lines the bottom 12 h ofstrainer-basket 12 may be recessed upwardly within strainer-basket 12.In this case the bottom 12 h is shown recessed above the flanges 12 d.

Lower portion 12 a of container 11 includes multiple strainer apertures12 c, and outwardly extending selectively positioned support brackets,or flanges 12 d (two shown). Flanges 12 d are generally planar andextend generally perpendicularly outwardly from the exterior wall ofstrainer-basket 12 a. Flanges 12 d are selectively spaced intermittentlyaround the exterior of the strainer-basket 12 a. Upper portion 12 bincludes a circumferentially configured outwardly extending upperportion 12 e. Upper portion 12 b includes two handles 12 f (one shown).Lid 13 includes top handle 13 a. Strainer-basket 12 may be rotatedwithin container 11 such that flanges 12 d do not overlay flanges 11 cbut disengage to form an opening for strainer-basket 12 to pass into thecooking liquid. Conversely, strainer-basket 12 may be rotated withincontainer 11 such that flanges 12 d sufficiently overlay flanges 11 c torestrict the opening to prevent passage of strainer-basket 12 and thusprovide support for draining of strainer-basket 12.

FIG. 2 illustrates in cross-sectional view the cooking strainer-basket12 of FIG. 1 submerged in liquid such as water (indicated by wavy lines)for cooking of food. The support brackets 11 c of container 11 and 12 dof strainer-basket 12 have been disengaged permitting the lower portion12 a of strainer-basket 12 to be inserted into container 11 until theupper portion 12 b is sitting within lip 11 b of container 11. In thisposition the food in strainer-basket 12 is submerged for cooking. Inthis figure it is more clearly seen, in dotted lines, how the bottom 12h may be recessed upwardly within strainer-basket 12 above the flanges12 d. It is to be understood that the position of the strainer-basketbottom 12 h, liquid level within the container 11, depth of thestrainer-basket 12, and location of the container 11 and strainer-basket12 support flanges 11 c and 12 d, respectively, may be varied within thescope of the invention.

FIG. 3A and 3B illustrate different configurations of the flanges forengagement of container 11 with strainer-basket 12. In the FIG. 3Aconfiguration the flanges 11 c and 12 d are both shown to be planar andto extend perpendicularly from the container 11 and strainer-basket 12,respectively. FIG. 3B illustrates another configuration of theengagement of the container 11 with strainer-basket 12 wherein theflanges 11 c′ and 12 d′ are shown to have interlocking ends forpositioning engagement of the container 11 and strainer-basket 12.

FIG. 4 shows strainer-basket 12 positioned in the food strainingposition above the liquid in container 11. As indicated by the arrows 5,strainer-basket 12 has been positioned to engage support flanges 12 d ofstrainer-basket 12 and flanges 11 c of container 11. That is, flanges 12d are rotated into a position apart from flanges 11 c so as to restrictthe opening to thereby prevent passage of strainer-basket 12, and thusprovide support for draining of strainer-basket 12.

FIG. 5 is a top view showing the positioning of the support flanges ofstrainer-basket above the flanges of the container allowing for thestrainer-basket to be raised to and supported at the food strainingposition within the container.

FIG. 6 illustrates the apparatus of the invention with the supportflanges 12 d of strainer-basket 12 and 11 c of container 11 in the openposition wherein strainer-basket 12 is fully inserted into container 11until the upper portion 12 b is sitting on lip 11 b of container 11. Inthis manner the apparatus of the invention is closed for storage ortransport.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the apparatus 10 of the invention with the lid13 removed to show the open, or disengaged, positioning of the supportflanges 12 d of strainer-basket 12 and 11 c of container 11, thusallowing for the flanges 12 d of strainer-basket 12, and thusstrainer-basket to be inserted fully into container 11. In thispositioning the upper portion 12 b is sitting within lip 11 b ofcontainer 11.

While the principles of the invention have been described andillustrated in a single embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilledin the art that many modifications of structure, arrangement,proportions, materials, and components used in the practice of theinvention can be particularly adapted for specific environments andoperating requirements without departing from these principles.

1. Food cooking apparatus comprising: a container for receiving acooking liquid to be heated; a food strainer-basket positionable withinsaid container for partially submerging within said cooking liquid, saidcontainer and said strainer-basket configured with cooperatingselectively positioned engaging support members for positioning of thebasket in the liquid for cooking of the food and for repositioning ofthe basket above the liquid for straining of the food.
 2. The foodcooking apparatus of claim 1 wherein: said container includes interiorselectively positioned inwardly extending support members; saidstrainer-basket includes a lower portion and an upper portion, saidlower portion selectively submersible in said cooking liquid and havingstrainer apertures and configured to have selectively positioned supportmembers; and said upper portion includes a shoulder configured forextending outwardly from the top of said container to restrain insertionof said strainer-basket.
 3. The food cooking apparatus of claim 2wherein said support members are engaged to restrain insertion of saidstrainer-basket into said cooking liquid.
 4. The food cooking apparatusof claim 3 wherein said support members are disengaged such that saidstrainer-basket may be lowered into said cooking liquid.
 5. The foodcooking apparatus of claim 2 wherein said container, saidstrainer-basket are circular; said container support members areintermittent and extend perpendicularly from said container; saidstrainer-basket support members are intermittent and extendperpendicularly from said strainer-basket; and said strainer-basket isrotatable within said container whereby said strainer-basket supportmembers and said container support members are disengaged to permitpassage of said strainer-basket or engaged to restrict passage of saidstrainer-basket and provide support for draining of saidstrainer-basket.
 6. The food cooking apparatus of claim 5 wherein saidcontainer includes a circumferentially outwardly extending top lip; saidstrainer-basket upper portion is circumferentially configured andextends outwardly from said strainer-basket; and when saidstrainer-basket is fully inserted into said container, said upperportion is supported within said top lip of said container.
 7. Foodcooking apparatus comprising: a container for receiving a cooking liquidto be heated; and a strainer-basket within said container which ispartially submerged in said liquid for cooking of food, said containerand said strainer-basket having cooperating selectively engaging supportmembers for alternatively positioning of the basket in the liquid forcooking of the food and repositioning of the basket above the liquid toprovide for straining of said strainer-basket.
 8. The food cookingapparatus of claim 7 wherein said container and said strainer-basket arecircular with said strainer-basket having a diameter suitable forfitting into said container, said container includes a circumferentiallyoutwardly extending top lip and selectively positioned interior inwardlyextending support members; said strainer-basket has a lower portion andan upper portion, said lower portion including strainer apertures andconfigured with support members for cooperating with said containersupport members of said container to position said strainer-basketwithin said container; and when said strainer-basket is fully insertedinto said container, said upper portion is supported within said top lipof said container.
 9. The food cooking apparatus of claim 8 furtherincluding a top lid for fitting over said upper portion of saidstrainer-basket and within said upper lip of said container.